NetApp announced a new integrated solution designed to speed the deployment of virtual servers and virtual desktops in departmental IT settings and branch offices. Designed with the IT generalist in mind, NetApp Integrated EVO:RAIL Solution is the first integrated system to combine cloud-ready enterprise NetApp FAS storage with the scale-out benefits of VMware’s EVO:RAIL hyper-converged infrastructure.

NetApp will offer VMWare’s EVO:RAIL hyper-converged rigs but with its networked FAS arrays.

NetApp says its offering will have three main components:

VMware EVO:RAIL

NetApp Clusetred Data ONTAP

NetAppFAS arrays

Building on NetApp’s strength in converged infrastructure for the data center, the NetApp Integrated EVO:RAIL Solution is designed for enterprises and midmarket organizations, including remote and branch office environments with limited IT personnel. The NetApp Integrated EVO:RAIL Solution includes flash-accelerated, scale-out NetApp enterprise storage. With the NetApp Integrated EVO:RAIL Solution, customers can quickly deploy and manage virtualized business critical applications, and offers one-stop support for complete server and storage infrastructure.

Hyper-converged meets SAN

Hyper-converged infrastructure has captured the imagination of server buyers looking to simplify the deployment and management of virtual machines. But storage administrators have been quick to point out that business critical applications and user data belongs on enterprise storage where it can be centrally managed and efficiently protected. Storage administrators also want to avoid creating new infrastructure silos and are looking to integrate these sites into an enterprise-wide data management strategy that includes the use of public clouds.

For example, at departmental sites running Microsoft back-office applications server virtual machine disks (VMDKs) are typically stored on hyper-converged solutions even though critical application data remains on the NetApp FAS in order to meet corporate protection guidelines. Similarly in virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), hyper-converged storage is used for desktop images while essential user data continues to be separately stored on NetApp FAS. By integrating storage for virtual images and critical data under a common user interface with a single point of support, the NetApp Integrated EVO:RAIL Solution combines the cost economics of hyper-converged appliances with the enterprise benefits of NetApp enterprise storage.

The NetApp Integrated EVO:RAIL Solution simplifies IT transformation with an easy-to-use solution that can be deployed in minutes, and includes unified management. This drastically reduces complexity, speeds time to provision virtual machines (VMs) and storage, and provides comprehensive local and remote data protection. Additionally, the tightly integrated EVO:RAIL software stack helps to simplify appliance deployment, configuration as well as on-going management, patching and upgrading of the software. By integrating clustered Data ONTAP with EVO:RAIL, the NetApp Integrated EVO:RAIL Solution delivers best-in-class storage management and provisioning with multiple paths for integrating with the hybrid public cloud. As an enterprise-class solution, the NetApp Integrated EVO:RAIL Solution also reduces risk by offering proven storage efficiencies and independent storage expansion, integrated data protection and data mobility, non-disruptive operations, and increased stability.

Availability

The NetApp Integrated EVO:RAIL Solution will be available and shipping in 1H CY2015 via a pre-integrated solution including hardware, software and support. For more information visit the NetApp website.

Erik Scholten

The founder and driving force behind VMGuru. With over 20 years experience in IT, he now works as a Cloud Management Specialist at VMware Benelux. He worked as technical consultant, pre-sales and solutions architect for several systems integrators.
He's a long time VMware VCP Data Center Virtualization, VCP Desktop, VCP Cloud Management & Automation, VCA, VSP and VTSP, vExpert Cloud (2017) and one of the few 10 times vExpert (2009 - 2018).